1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image transfer material, comprising a support, optionally at least one barrier layer, a melt transfer layer, and an image receiving layer. The top surface of the image receiving layer is receptive to images, for instance, ink jet images, photocopy images, etc. Optionally, one or more opaque layers may be coated between the melt transfer layer and the image receiving layer. The optional opaque layer(s) adds a rigid or stiff quality to the transfer material for ease of handling, as well as having opacity, especially white, to enhance visibility of the image when placed thereon. When optional opaque layers are placed between the melt transfer layer and the image receiving layer, the support and barrier layers are both optional since the combination of melt transfer layer, opaque layer(s) and image receiving layer may function independently as an image transfer sheet, which may be optionally imaged prior to transfer to a receptor element. For instance, a material comprising the melt transfer layer, one or more opaque layers and an image receiving layer may be optionally imaged, placed melt transfer layer down on a receptor element, optionally imaged and then adhered using a heat source.
The present invention further relates to a process for preparing the above image transfer material. According to the present invention, optionally at least one barrier layer is coated on the support, and the melt transfer layer is coated onto the optionally barrier-coated support. Possible ways of applying the melt transfer layer include extrusion and lamination. Next, the image receiving layer is coated onto the melt transfer layer.
The present invention further relates to a heat transfer process using the same material. For instance, after imaging, the image receiving layer and melt transfer layer are peeled away from the support material and placed, preferably image side up, on top of a receptor element, such as cotton or cotton/polyester blend fabrics or the like. A non-stick sheet is then optionally placed over the imaged peeled material and heat, for instance, from a source such as a hand iron, is applied to the top of the optional non-stick sheet. If a heat source such as an oven is used, a non-stick sheet is unnecessary. A non-stick sheet is also not necessary if the material does not stick to the heat source, such as a stick-free hand iron or heat press. The melt transfer layer then melts and adheres the image to the receptor element. After heat application, the non-stick sheet is removed and the image remains attached to the receptor element.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Textiles such as shirts (e.g., tee shirts) having a variety of designs thereon have become very popular in recent years. Many shirts are sold with pre-printed designs to suit the tastes of consumers. In addition, many customized tee shirt stores are now in the business of permitting customers to select designs or decals of their choice. Processes have also been proposed which permit customers to create their own designs on transfer sheets for application to tee shirts by use of a conventional hand iron, such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,244,358. Furthermore, U.S. Pat. No. 4,773,953, is directed to a method for utilizing a personal computer, a video camera or the like to create graphics, images, or creative designs on a fabric. These designs may then be transferred to the fabric by way of an ink jet printer, a laser printer, or the like.
Other types of heat transfer sheets are known in the art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,798,179 is directed to a printable heat transfer material using a thermoplastic polymer such as a hard acrylic polymer or poly(vinyl acetate) as a barrier layer, and has a separate film-forming binder layer. U.S. Pat. No. 5,271,990 relates to an image-receptive heat transfer paper which includes an image-receptive melt-transfer film layer comprising a thermoplastic polymer overlaying the top surface of a base sheet. U.S. Pat. No. 5,502,902 relates to a printable material comprising a thermoplastic polymer and a film-forming binder. U.S. Pat. No. 5,614,345 relates to a paper for thermal image transfer to flat porous surfaces, which contains an ethylene copolymer or a ethylene copolymer mixture and a dye-receiving layer.
Other examples of heat transfer materials are disclosed by, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,410,200 which relates to a polymeric composition comprising an acrylic dispersion, an elastomeric emulsion, a plasticizer, and a water repellant. U.S. Pat. No. 6,358,660 relates to a barrier layer. The barrier layer of 6,358,660 provides for “cold peel,” “warm peel” and “hot peel” applications and comprises thermosetting and/or ultraviolet (UV) curable polymers. U.S. application Ser. No. 09/980,589, filed Dec. 4, 2001, relates to a transferable material having a transfer blocking overcoat and to a process using said heat transferable material having a transfer blocking overcoat.
Some of the above-mentioned applications contain specific systems for forming clear images which are subsequently transferred onto the receptor element. However, other heat transfer systems exist, for example, those disclosed by U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,021,591, 4,555,436, 4,657,557, 4,914,079, 4,927,709, 4,935,300, 5,322,833, 5,413,841, 5,679,461, 5,741,387, and 6,432,514.
Problems with many known transfer sheets is the expense involved in coating numerous solutions onto a support material and the overall feel of the imaged product. However, the present invention represents a revolution in the image transfer industry. It is very inexpensive, has a very soft feel to the touch, and can be washed in the washing machine with detergent. No special washing or drying procedures are required in order to preserve the transferred image. Additionally, it includes the advantages of a “peel-away” imaging material. With a peel-away material, the image that is placed on the imaging material is transferred directly to the receptor element without need of an inverted or reversed image, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,383,710 B2. Traditional transfer materials required images to be added to the material in an inverted or reversed orientation so that the image, when placed face down on the receptor element, would appear in the correct orientation in the final product.